Pressure-regulator.



.G. HALTER.

PRESSURE REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20f1914.

1,172,886. Patented Feb. 22,1916.

- .2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES INVENTOR G. HALTER.

PRESSURE REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20, 1914.

Patented Fen 22,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR A TTOR/VEY UNITED STATES PATENT oEEroE GEORGE HALTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO DAVIS-BOURNONVILLE COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YOR PRESSURE-REGULATOR.

Application filed October 20, 1914. Serial No. 867,592. 7

ments in Pressure-Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a pressure regulator, de

signed more especially for -maintaining a fixed relation or balance of pressure between the gas chambers of electrolytic apparatus for the production of oxygen and hydrogen;

and the object is to provide a simple,eifective and reliable demos for performing the function indicated.

Further objects are to incorporate in the pressure regulator provisions for relieving excessive back-pressure in the delivery systerns, and to provide'submerged explosion chambers, through which the two gases must pass and where they are exposed to igniters,

which produce localized explosions in the event of impure gases passing over from the generating apparatus, Such explosion serves as a signal and may also be utilized to perform certain automaticfunctions, such as shutting down the plant.

' In the accompanyingdrawings: Figure l is a side sectional elevation of the pressure regulator unit; Fig. 2 is a front elevation' of the same; Fig. 3 is a'detail fra'g mentary side elevation illustrating a mode 7 of utilizing the force of explosions in the explosion chambers; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the pressure regulator 'illustratlng also diagrammatically the control by the impuregas-detector of the motor generator set supplying current tothe cells; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the bottom section of'one of the in closures in the pressure regulator tank; Fig. 6 is an elevation thereof; Fig.' 7 is a plan view of-the mid section of said inclosure; and Fig.8 is an-elevation of said mid-section; g 1 f The numerals 44 and 47 designate ofi'take pipes leading from the .gas spaces of the electrolyte cells, wherein .water is decomposed into its constituent gases, oxygen and hydrogen. These pipes extend downward from a suitable elevation, to the lower part of -altank 58, which may be supported on a stand .60, and enter. the sides of separate inclosures 61' and 62 within the tank. The tank constitutes a means for holding a body Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

of water, or its equivalent communicating bodies of water, open to the pressure-of the atmosphere, and the inclosures, the interiors of which are in free communication with the general interior of the tanlrbelow the Water'level, serve to collect and separate the gases which bubble up through the water. The height at which-the gases are permitted to pass upward is the same in both inclosures, and, the water level being the same for both, it follows-that the pressures in the two conduits 44c and 47 necessary to overcome the hydrostatic resistance must be equal, and with conduits of ample cross-section the same pressures obtain in the generating apparatus. The amount of the pressure is dependent upon the level of the water in the tank, and this 1s convenientlyestablished by1 means of an overflow 57 which permits ing of the tank 58 up to a predetermined level but not beyond. p

The inclosures 61 and 62 are preferably duplicates and are constructed in a simple and inexpensive manner of superposed hollow castings, which may simply rest one upon the other or be bolted if preferred. The lowest section 63 of each rests on the bottom of the tank 58 and is provided with openings 64 for the admission of water and with-an inlet 65, to which the 'pipe44: or 47, as the case may be, is connected. The said inlet opens into a recess in the top of the section behind adepending bafiie wall 66. the

lower edge of which determines the depth of the column of water to be displaced, and is located at the same height in both inclosures. From the bottom section the gases pass upward through a passage 67 into the interior of the mid-section 68. An important part of the mid-section is an explosion chamber 69,

into which the passage-67 projects. This chamber. is formed by walls arranged in such manner that the gas entering the same is pocketed and collects until it lowers the water in the chamber sufliciently to permit itto escape beneath a depending baflle wall '70. The gas then rises through a passage 71 in the mid-section into the top section 72, which constitutesa collecting chamber connected at itsupper end with the delivery pipe 73. The formation of theadjoining portions of the superposed sections is such that openings 74 are 'afi'orded between the c mid and top sections, placing the interior of the section 72 in communication with the liquid in the tank, these openings constitutsections, serving as additional vents and also vided for the purpose of causing any con densed IIlOlStllI'G or caustic, which mlght to guard. against any upward rush of gas driving the water out of the upper portion of the inclosure. v The outlet in the top of the collecting section 72 is surrounded by a depending fiange or nozzle 76, which is pro otherwise be carried into the delivery pipe,

- to drop back into the liquid in the tank. It

will be observed that the gas outlets from the inclosures are of large area so that the gases pass freely to the pipingsystem, and-consequently the only back pressure on the gases flowing from the cells of the electrolyzer is the hydrostatic head, which is the same upon both the gases.

sure is formed with a lateral extension 77, and as shown 1n Fig. 4 these extensions are preferably arranged between the twoinclosures. Into the top of each of these extensions there is tapped a plug 78, carrying a platinum Wire 79 exposed to the gas in the explosion chamber. This wire is of suitable cross-sectional area to be renderedincandescent by the passage of electric current of appropriate strength, and thus constitutes a .73 and from the ofitake pipes-4A and 47, cannot be propagated in either direction. The

occurrence of the explosion may be relied upon as an indicator, but preferably means are providedfor utilizing its force. to effect 1 an automatic function, such 'as the shutting down of the motor generator set supplying current to the cells. This is illustrated partly by diagram. A movable part or piston 81 is disposed at the bottom of each of the explosion chamber extensions 7 7 where it is normally held in place by a spring 82 encircling a rod 83 which passes loosely through the piston and is secured at its upper end to a stationary part 84. Upon the occurrence of The arrangement is such' scend it is carried downbodily, To its-c'en ter is secured a flexible connection 86, which extends to a pull. switch 87 of ordinary con I struction. The electrical connections are shown diagrammatically in'Fig. 4,'where 88 represents the circuit for supplying current to the igniterwires 79, and 89 a circuit controlled by the switch 87 andiin turn controlhug the starting device of the motor generator .set 90, which. supplies current to the cells represented diagrammatically at X. A Y

lamp 91 in the igniter circuit 88 is provided for'th'e purpose 'of indicating whether the igniters -are in operative'condition. From the foregoing it willbe understoodthat an explosion, due to impure gas entering one or other-of the explosion chambers, interrupts i the control circuit 89 and thereby stops the motor generator, shutting down the entire plant. g 1

What I claim as newis;

1. In a deviceof the character described, the combination of means for holdinga body arate' gas inlets permitting the gases to escape upward into the body of water at equal 1 of liquid open to atmospheric pressure, sep-. The explosion chamber 69 of each inclofor collecting the gases rising through thewater, and'outlets' of large area permitting "free escape of the gases from said collecting devices.

2. Ina. device of-thecharacter described, 7

the combination of a tank adapted to hold a body of liquid open to atmospheric pres- I I sure and provided with means for determin-.

ing a certain level therein, separate gasfinlets permitting the gases to-escape upward gases and having delivery pipes leading from their upper portions, said inclosures having safety vents opening into the liquid in the liquid holder above'said inlets.

LA device of the character} described, comprising a' liquid holder open to atmospheric pressure andhaving separate gas in-' lets below the .liquid level, inclosures in said holder, arranged to confine the gases vinto the body of water at equal distances' A 7 below the surface, separate devicesffor collecting the gasesrising through the water,

rising through the liquid and affording out- .i

lets therefor and having their interiors in open communication with the liquid in the holder, one of each of said inclosures having a chamber formed to pocket a body of the gas below the liquid level, andan igniter in said chamber.

In a device of the I iaracter described, the combination of a liquid holder open to atmospheric pressure, a gas inlet below the liquid level, an inclosure in. said liquid holder open to the liquid and arranged to collect the rising gas, a gas outlet from the upper part of said inclosu're, and a safety vent from the inclosure opening into the liquid in the liquid holder above the gas inlet.

6. An impure gas detector for electro1yzers, comprising a liquid holder having an inlet for the gas below the level of the liquid,

, means for pocketing a body of the rising gas below the liquid levelin the holder, and an igniter in the pocket of gas thus formed. 7. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a liquid holder open 'to' atmospheric pressure, a gas-conduit delivering therein belowthe liquid level, an inclosure in said holder arranged to confine the gas rising through the liquid and aifording an outlet therefor and having its interior in open communication with the liquid in the holder, said inclosure being formed of super imposed sections comprising a bottom section intoiwhich the conduit opens, a midsection arranged to receive the gasesv rising from the bottom section, and forming an explosion chamber in. which a body of the gas is trapped, and a top section forming a collecting and outlet chamber, and an igniter in the explosion chamber.

8, In a device of the character described, the combination of a liquid holder op'en'to atmospheric pressure, a gas conduit delivering thereinbelow the liquid level, an inclosure in said holder arranged to confine the gas rising through the liquid and affording an outlet therefor and having its interior in open communication With the liquid in the holder, said inclosure being formed ofsuperimposed castings, comprising a lower section into which the conduit opens, and a section above the same forming an explosion chamber in which a body of the gas is trapped, and an igniter in said chamber.

9. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a liquid holder. open to atmospheric pressure, a gas conduit delivering therein below the liquid level, an inclosure in said-holder arranged to -confine the gas risingthrough the liquid and afiording an outlet therefor and having its interior in open communication with the liquid inthe holder, said inclosure being formed of superimposed castings, comprising a lower section 1nto whlch the conduit opens, and a) section above the same forming an explosion .chamber in which a body of the gas is GEORGE HALTER.

Witnesses:

J. F. BRANDENBURG, E. GREENBERGER. 

